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The eyewitness

A photographer who documented the aftermath of a massive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has recounted how community members came back with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The victims "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan described. They included security forces.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - while others appeared "severely damaged", he said. Numerous victims displayed evidence of knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the most lethal operation in the city.

Bruno Itan reported that he was first alerted about the operation Tuesday morning by local people from the Alemão area, who contacted him informing him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer made his way to a local medical facility, where the casualties were being brought.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from going into the operation zone, where the operation was under way.

"Security forces formed a line and declared: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in that neighborhood, stated he managed to make his way past the security perimeter, where he remained until the next morning.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants started looking the mountainous area that separates the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Local people living in Penha proceeded to place the located casualties in a public space - the documented evidence display the response of those present.

"The harsh reality of what occurred impacted me a lot: the grief of the families, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, crying, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The governor of the state announced that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 security personnel was intended to preventing a gang known as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

At first, the Rio state government stated that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" lost their lives in the operation.

They have since said that initial estimates indicates that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the total number of fatalities to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has managed to make territorial gains across the region.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs in the country, in company with a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

Based on reporter an expert, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio over many years, Red Command "functions as a network" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "commercial associates".

The organization concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, alcohol and tobacco.

According to the authorities, organization members have substantial firearms and police said that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of the region, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the security forces fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities in the security action has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials saying it was "appalled".

At a news conference the next day, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He further explained that the circumstances worsened as the individuals had retaliated: "It resulted of the retaliation they executed and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The official additionally stated that the bodies shown by residents in Penha had been "tampered with".

In a post through digital channels, he asserted that particular individuals had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces additionally stated that tactical gear, vests, and firearms" were taken away from the victims and showed footage seemingly depicting a person stripping military attire {off a corpse